Why Your First Attempts Will Likely Suck, But You Need to Start Anyway

Starting something new can be intimidating, especially when you have high expectations for yourself. You may be paralyzed by the fear of failure, and the thought of producing something subpar can be discouraging. However, the truth is that everyone starts somewhere, and your first attempts will likely not meet your standards. This is a common phenomenon, and it applies to almost everything you do. Your first book, video, tweet, product, podcast, speech, or business idea will likely suck. But that's okay because it's part of the learning process.

Many successful people have gone through this same process. They started with something that wasn't perfect, but they persisted, learned, and grew. The path to excellence is not a straight line. It's a journey with many bumps and turns, and it's essential to embrace those challenges because they will shape you into a better creator.

One of the biggest hurdles to starting something new is overthinking. We can spend countless hours mulling over our ideas, scrutinizing every detail, and trying to perfect everything before even taking the first step. Overthinking can lead to procrastination, and before you know it, months or even years have passed, and you still haven't started.

The key to overcoming this hurdle is to prioritize iteration over overthinking. By taking action, even if it's imperfect, you are creating something tangible that you can refine and improve upon. Each iteration brings you closer to excellence, and every failure is an opportunity to learn and grow.

You must remember that every successful creator has started somewhere, and it's their persistence and resilience that have helped them reach their goals. The first step towards excellence is to start today, with whatever resources and tools you have. Your future self will thank you for making that decision.

As an example, the author of this article recently hit the 1000 videos milestone on YouTube. He started with a crappy 2MP webcam, but he persisted and continued to produce content. Along the way, he learned, grew, and improved his craft. His success was not achieved overnight, but through hard work, persistence, and iteration.

Conclusion

your first attempts may not be perfect, and that's okay. The key is to prioritize iteration over overthinking and to start today, with whatever resources and tools you have. Embrace the challenges, failures, and bumps along the way, as they will shape you into a better creator. Remember, every successful person has started somewhere, and it's their persistence and resilience that have helped them reach their goals. So, don't be afraid to suck at the beginning because that's part of the process of improving and growing. Take the first step today, and keep iterating towards excellence. Your future self will thank you for it.

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